Fajen And Cox Breakthrough…Morrow and Maupin Gain Redemption At Grenada

Battling high water and high wind conditions, familiar names rose to the top of the leaderboard at the Crappie Masters sponsored by the Renewable Fuels Association “Ethanol Fueled With Pride”, American Ethanol, and Bass Pro Shops Grenada Lake National Qualifier and Final Leg Of The Mississippi State Championship March 23, and 24th at Grenada, Mississippi hosted by the Grenada Tourism Commission, and also sponsored by American Angler.

Expectations of a tough bite generally coming to fruition for a field of angler teams from numerous states after recent flooding rains, Grenada Lake, the self proclaimed “home of the 3 pound crappie” did produce some hefty weights for a few teams on day one of the tournament topped with an eye popping 18.29 pound stringer weighed in by the Grenada team and crowd favorite, Vic Finkley and Kim Kennedy, followed by eventual winners Rick Fajen and Earnie Cox, along with Chad Maupin and Barry Morrow, set up a shootout on Championship Saturday that saw Fajen and Cox overtaking Finkley and Kennedy with a two-day weight of 32.96 pounds taking home the $5,800.00 first place prize along with an additional $500.00 bonus from The Missouri Corn Growers Association and American Ethanol for proudly using E10 fuel in their boat. Fajen and Cox took full use of their Mercury Motor and MinnKota Trolling Motor to stay on fish they found away from the field that produced most of their weigh fish on day one by 8:30AM. Day two was a bit different as the day one spot did not produce and the team went to a back up spot much like their primary spot that Cox found in practice which also produced quality fish but at a much slower rate due in large part to the high winds. Fajen and Cox spider rigged Ozark Rods at .6 miles per hour in 5 to 9 feet of water catching their better fish 5 feet deep on a 3 inch Mo Glo Orange and Chartreuse Bobby Garland Slab Slayer. After numerous close finishes, Fajen and Cox broke through for the victory which Fajen dedicated to a good friend who recently passed away. Fajen and Cox are sponsored by the Missouri Gold Fish Hatchery and Pro’s Choice Marine.

The runner up position was filled with day one leaders and crowd favorite Vic Finkley and Kim Kennedy who fell back from their impressive day one weight of 18.29 pounds buoyed by a Grenada 3.15 pound monster that wound up as the big fish of the tournament. The high winds of day two made it nearly impossible for Finkley and Kennedy to fish the area that held the quality fish. The team still managed to bring a two-day total of 31.77 pounds to the scale. Finkley and Kennedy was also the top finishing male/female team of the tournament. Finkley stated their Humminbird Electronics, MinnKota Trolling Motor, and Power Poles were key to their success. Finkley and Kennedy spider rigged midsouth black and silver tube jigs on Jenko Rods in 8 feet of water targeting fish at a 3 foot depth. The team took home $2,900.00 for their runner up finish, along with an additional $980.00 for having the big fish of the tournament, and a Humminbird Helix 5 as the top male/female team of the tournament. Finkley and Kennedy are sponsored by MidSouth Tackle, Kirk Auto, Jenko Fishing, and Foxy Fishing Gear.

Third place went to the team of Barry Morrow and Chad Maupin who over the two tournament days weighed 28.44 pounds good for the third place $1,800.00 prize following a second place finish two weeks earlier at Lake Washington which led them to become the 2018 Crappie Masters Mississippi State Champions, and an additional $900.00 for that prestigious honor. Morrow and Maupin fished much like the other top finishing teams, spider rigging 16 foot B’n’M Trolling Poles in 8 feet of water, catching the bigger fish in the 5 foot range on Bobby Garland 3 inch Slab Slayer baits and other assorted plastics. Morrow and Maupin also praised their Humminbird Electronics and MinnKota Trolling Motor as instrumental in their success. Morrow and Maupin are sponsored by Off Shore Tackle, Pro’s Choice Marine, Beaver Bottom Baits, Bobby Garland Baits, Puddle Jumper, Stump Jumper, Crappietown Baits, Huckabee Rods, B’n’M Trolling Poles, and Everharts Outdoor Store.

Fourth place resulted in a tie between Paul and Elizabeth Turner and Dale Abernathy and Eric Stover with a two-day total weight of 26.65. Both teams received a check for $1,400.00.

Top Adult Youth Team honors went to the father/son team of Jason and Parker Eichwurtzle who took home a MinnKota Trolling Motor along with a $100.00 Everharts Outdoor Store Gift Card.

The 2018 Mississippi State Championship was also on the line at Grenada, which carried over teams earned points from Lake Washington. The Championship was decided by total weight of the two tournaments. When it was all said and done, the team of Barry Morrow and Chad Maupin out weighed the competition to claim the title and the $900.00 prize. Finishing second was the team of Tommy Skarlis and Mike Baker who took home a check for $540.00. The $360.00 third place prize went to the team of John Harrison and Jeremy Aldridge.